Golf driving mat and tee



G. E. MORGAN GOLF DRIVING MAT AND TEE Filed Nov. l5, 1948 oct. 3o, 1951 '2,573,107

INVENTOR. GEORGE E. MORGAN www AGEA/T Patented Oct. 30, W19t-"sl UNIT-ED STATES yPATENT GFFICE 2,573,107 GOLF DmvrNd MAT ANDy TEE George E. Morgan, San Diego,l Calif. Aopuoation November 13, 194s, serial No. 59,893

My invention relates to a` golf driving mat,

more particularly for use by golfers in practicing the drivingof golf balls and the objects of'my invention are:

First, to provide a mat of this class havingV re- Third, to provide a golf driving mat of this s class which generally promotes practice. and thereby improves the general form and ability of the golfer.

Fourth, to provide a golf drivingmat'of this class which incorporates certain resilient character in the frame thereof which includes longitudinal slats which support the cushion above which is directly supported by the surface, strips of the mat, and

Fifth, to provide a golf driving mat of this class which is very simple and economical of construction, eiicient in operation and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain. novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as-.willbe hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims; reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference thereon forming a part of this application in which: Figure 1 is a top or plan view of the golf driving mat. Figure 2 is a frag-mentary sectional view thereof, taken from the line 2-2 of Figure l, showing the s ame on enlarged scale, and Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken from the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Similar characters of reference referto similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawings.

The frame I, slats 2, cushion 3, cushion cover 4, mat strips 5, 6, and 1, strip spacers 8, wires 9, tees I0, II and I2, and the edge cushion'imolding I3 constitute the principal parts and portions of my golf driving mat.

The frame I as shown in Figs. l and 3 of ythel The frame I isprovided 3 claims. (c1. 273-35) `with surrounding member Ia inwardly of which are base strips Ib having cross bars Ic positioned thereon at their opposite ends. Positioned over the cross bars Ic are the slats 2 which extend longitudinally of the mat as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. At each end of the mat is provided a plate Id supported on end cross members Ie shown best in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Supported on the Vslats 2 is the cushion 3 covered by a fabric cover 4. This cushion 3 is preferably made of soft sponge rubber or any other suitable material of resilient character: Positioned over :the cushion 3 and extending therebeyond over the plates Id are the mat strips 5, yIi, and l. The mat strips 5 extend the full length of the frame I .inwardly of the edge' cushion molding I3 which is preferably made of soft, resilient material such as sponge rubber or the like. The mat strips 6 are considerably shorter. than the mat strips 5 and are interposed therebetween. The mat strips I align with .the tees IU, II and I2 and terminate iat the position occupied by said tees Ill, II and I 2 as shown best in' Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

vIt will be noted that the tees IIJ, II and I2 are each provided with a at disc shaped base similar to the base I2a of the tees I2 and are each provided with a centrally disposed vertical tee .post similar to the post I2b of the tee I2 shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The post of the tees I0, I I and I2 extend vertically to a position above .the plane of the mat strips 5, 6 and l and are in#- .terposed between mat strips 5 which extend the full length of the frame intermediate opposite ends of the edge cushion molding I3. The mat strips 5 and 6 extending beyond the mat strips 1 are maintained in parallel spaced relationship to each other by means of the spacers 8 which surround the Wires 9 extending laterally through the mat strips 5, 6 and I shown best in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

The operation ofv my golf driving mat is substantially as follows:

A golf ball may be placed on each of the tees I0, I I and I2 or any one of them as desired. A golfer standing on the mat within the area covered by the mat strips 'I forming the solid portion of the mat may drive the ball from one of the tees I0, I I or I2, as desired. The footing provided by the substantially yieldable slats 2, cushion 3 and the flexible mat strips 5, 6, and 1 simulates the footing a golfer may have on the surface of a conventional golf course. As the golferl strikes the ball,- on one of the tees I0, II or I2, the tee yields slightly due to its resilient support on the cushion 3 at its base portion. In

the event the golfer slices the mat, the cushion 3 provides a yieldable means which permits movement of the mat strips 5, 6 and 1 and also deflection of the tee I2 whereby damage to the golf club and to the mat is eiectively avoided. The plurality of tees I0, Il and I2 provide for the positions various golfers may take on the mat whereby substantially all formal driving positions are accommodated. It will be noted that f the edge cushion molding f3` provides longitudinal resilient support for the mat 'composed 'of the mat strips 5, 6 and 1 and also provides a resilient edge molding surrounding the m'at" which withstands wear and which :retair-is. its' original shape. The wires 9 extending transversely through the mat strips 5, and 7 arevclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a golf driving mat-of the class described, a frame having a base, a exible resilient cushion on said frame elevated above said basev and a mat 'over said 'cushion composed of individual parallel, ilexible strips, tees extending upwardly through `said mat intermediate said strips and supported at their lower ends on said cushion, said frame having slats supporting the lower side of said cushion, said tees having disc shaped base portions and circular in cross-section reduced Ystems extending upwardly therefrom, said strips having spacers therebetween substantially equal in length to the diameter of thev vertical stems of said tees extending upwardly between the strips.

2. In a golf driving mat of the class described, 'a frame having va base, affl'exble resilient cushion on said frame elevated above said base and 'a mat over said cushion composed of individual parallel, `lexiible strips, 'tees extending upwardly through said mat intermediate saidl strips and supported at their lower ends on said cushion,

said frame having slats supporting the lower side of said cushion, said tees having disc shaped base portions and circular in cross-section reduced stems extending upwardly therefrom, said strips having spacers therebetween substantially equal in length to the diameter of the vertical stems of said tees extending upwardly between the strips, said frame provided with an edge cushion molding of soft, resilient character surrounding the Ima't form'edfby said strips.

3. In a golf driving mat of the class described, aA frame having a base, a flexible resilient cushion on said frame elevated above said base and al over `said cushion composed of individual parallel, flexible strips, tees extending upwardly through said mat intermediate said strips and supported at ltheir lower ends on said cushion,

` said frame having slats supporting the lower side of 'Said cushion, said tees having disc shaped base portions and circular in cross-section reduced stems extending upwardly therefrom, said strips having. spacers therebetween substantially `equal in length to the diameter of the vertical stems of said tees extending upwardly between the strips, sa'i'd frame provided with an edge cushion molding of soft, resilient character surrounding the mat formed by said strips, said frame having rigid pla-te vsupport at opposite ends and provided with a shelf on which one end of said mat is rigidly supported beyond the end of said cushion.

GEORGE E. MORGAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record Vin the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 19,546 'Croley Mar. 9, 1858 150,181 Morse Apr. 28, 1874 i '835,274 Burns Nov. 6, 1906 '1,409,125 Stanwood Mar. 7, 1922 1,493,687 Lowell May 13, 1924 1,542,514 Mahony June 16, 1925 1,678,944 Jacobsen July 31, 1928 1,983,671 Kohler. Dec. 11, 1934 2,260,716 Kolter Oct. 28, '1941 2,470,238 Correale May 17, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 211,619l Great Britain Feb. 28, 1924 

